Athletes, top officials to go to Games

North Korea said yesterday it was willing to send athletes and a high-level delegation to the forthcoming Winter Olympics in the South as the rivals held their first official talks in more than two years after high tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme.

Seoul urged that reunions of families divided by the 195053 Korean War, one of the most emotive legacies of the conflict, be held at the same time as the Games.

“The North side proposed dispatching a high-level delegation, a National Olympic Committee delegation, athletes, supporters, art performers, observers, a taekwondo demonstration team and journalists” to the Games, the South’s vice unification minister Chun HaeSung said.

The South’s Unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon and the North’s chief delegate Ri Son-Gwon shook hands at the entrance to the building, and again across the table.

In addition to the resumption of family reunions, Seoul suggested the two sides march together at the opening ceremony.

It also called for Red Cross talks and military discussions to prevent “accidental clashes”.

“Let’s present the people with a precious new year’s gift,” said the North’s Ri.

“The people have a strong desire to see the North and South move toward peace and reconciliation,” Cho said. –